Sports Illustrated cover model Kate Upton is the latest target of what's become a truly obnoxious fad of YouTube celebrity invitations. I say "truly obnoxious" not because the invitations aren't cute or sincere or entertaining to watch, but because they're insanely manipulative -- assuming you can get the thing to go viral. An invitation with five views, one of which was your grandmother? No one cares. A million views? Well, Kate Upton (or whoever) has to make some sort of public response, lest she come across like a giant asshole who doesn't appreciate her fans.

Plus, those who have endured YouTube pleas before her have set the precedent. Remember how Mila Kunis went to the Marine Corps Ball, and everyone was like, awwwwww? Kate Upton surely had to think on her feet in order to come up with a PR-friendly response to high school senior Jake Davidson, and as it turns out, her answer was BRILLIANT.

So basically Davidson knocked it out of the park with his prom invitation video, saying things like,

I'm gonna be real with you here, I don't have a girlfriend, and with prom season coming around, that could be problematic for some. But I'm me, I'm Optimus Prime, and I see the glass half full. (...) You're the ying to my yang, I'm Jewish, 5'9 on a really good day -- and I can't dance at all. You're Christian, 5'10, and that Cat Daddy video should have won an Oscar for best short film -- you could say this is destiny.

It truly is a clever clip, and it's racked up nearly 140,000 views. Check it out:

Now, I'm gonna go out on a limb and venture the opinion that if the video hadn't been so well edited and entertaining to watch -- like if it was just some nerdy, smitten guy mumbling red-faced into the camera -- she would never have acknowledged its existence. But Kate Upton knows a thing or two about capitalizing on social media, and once the video started making the rounds, she posted this on Twitter:

Is that a great response or what? She sounds awesome and flirty, but she commits to NOTHING. By the time the attention over this invite dies down, she can easily say she's got a modeling gig or a Carl's Jr burger ad to film or whatever -- or she can simply forget about it, because it's not like she really has to get back to him.

Of course, maybe she'll actually go to the prom, and that would be a hoot. But if she was looking for a way to weasel out of it while still coming off like a groovy, accessible hottie celeb, this was the way to go.

As for Davidson, he's pretty thrilled either way:

You truly are incredible. Just responding made my year, thanks so much! P.S. Hope your schedule is free!

What's your call -- will Kate Upton actually go to this guy's prom? Or was this a super-gentle blowoff?